It’s time to treat your mobile like cash, says Gavin Wilson, Director of Physical Security and Risk, at the consultancy Toro Solutions.
In 2024, more than 80,000 mobile phones were reported stolen in London. That’s roughly one every six minutes. Even if you’ve been lucky so far, chances are you know someone who hasn’t. The figures are shocking, but they only scratch the surface of what has become one of the capital’s most stubborn and visible crimes. Phone theft combines technology, opportunity, and ruthless precision.
Anatomy of a phone theft
Thieves know exactly where to look. Pickpockets and bag-dippers thrive in crowded places such as shopping streets, transport hubs, and busy nightlife areas, where close contact is easy to disguise. Their victims often make it easy without realising it, by slipping a phone into a back pocket, leaving it in an open bag, or setting it on a café table within reach.
Then there is the now-classic moped or e-bike snatch, the hallmark of London’s smartphone era. Riders sweep along pavements or pull up at crossings, targeting anyone distracted by their screen. Victims lose more than just a £1,000 handset. They are suddenly locked out of emails, banking apps, and personal data, often because the phone was unlocked when it was taken. Worst still, some victims have found their bank accounts emptied following a phone theft. For many people, the emotional impact is just as heavy. Victims often describe feeling violated, as if a part of their private life, including photos, conversations, and memories, was taken too.
What fuels the market
While your personal data is priceless to you, it is the device itself that attracts criminals. A BBC investigation found that stolen phones can fetch up to £300 on the UK black market and are often shipped abroad, where they can sell for several times that amount. In some cases, a single refurbished iPhone can eventually be worth over £4,000 once it is resold overseas.
The psychology of distraction
Walk down any London street and you will see the problem everywhere. People are glued to their screens, following maps, sending messages, or scrolling through newsfeeds. That focus creates perfect conditions for opportunists. A thief does not see someone checking directions; they see a high-value item being displayed in public. Security experts call it a visibility problem. Phones have become status symbols and essential tools, but also openly advertised valuables. Every time you take one out, you signal opportunity.
The most effective deterrent
We have all heard the advice to “stay aware,” but what does that actually mean in practice? Awareness is only useful when it changes behaviour. Here is the mindset that works:
Treat your phone the way you would treat a wad of cash. That is exactly how thieves see it.
You would not wave £500 in the air at a busy crossing. You would not hold £1,000 to your ear on a dark street, and you would not drop a thick stack of notes into an open pocket. Yet many of us do the equivalent every day with our phones, which are worth just as much and often mean far more. Imagine withdrawing a large sum of cash. Your senses sharpen, you become discreet, alert, and deliberate. That is the level of care we should have with our devices.
Turning the tide
Curbing phone theft is not just about tougher policing. It is about changing habits. We can each make ourselves harder targets by rethinking how we handle our phones.
Building better habits
We are all creatures of habit, and changing the way we have always done things is never easy. To form safer habits, we often need a simple reminder or trigger that prompts us to pause and think. Something as small as changing your ringtone can help. Choose a tune that reminds you to check your surroundings before reaching for your phone, or set your message alert to sound like a cash register “cha-ching.” These subtle cues can nudge you into a more mindful routine and reinforce the idea that your phone is valuable property worth protecting.
Practical ways to protect your phone
Small habits can make a big difference in keeping your phone safe. Keep your device out of sight in crowded areas and use a zipped or secure pocket rather than an open bag. Activate your phone’s security features such as biometric locks, “Find My Phone,” and remote data wipe options, so you can act quickly if the worst happens. Avoid unlocking your device in public unless necessary, and never hand it to strangers, even those who appear to need help with directions or a call. At cafés or bars, keep your phone in your hand or pocket instead of leaving it on the table. These small changes make you a far less appealing target and give you a better chance of keeping both your phone and your peace of mind. If using maps, following directions through an earpiece with the phone securely in a pocket, instead of in your hand on display and easy to grab.
Your mobile is not just another gadget. It is your bank, your photo album, your ID, and your link to the world. To a thief, it is quick, liquid money. Treat it like cash, and you are far less likely to become the next statistic in London’s phone theft epidemic.
Photo by Mark Rowe: early December evening, Christmas market, Trafalgar Square (National Gallery in background).
